The Electronic Structure of the Atom: (Mis)Interpretations of Quantum Concepts by Brazilian University Chemistry Students

Students' understanding of the electronic structure of the atom has been investigated by many authors. This study outlines students' conceptual and representational understanding of quantum concepts explored in lower and upper level chemistry courses, in three different chemistry majors, identifying learning obstacles and monitoring student development. Structured questionnaires were applied at the beginning and end of the semester, aiming to assess student learning related to the interpretation of the electronic structure of the atom through quantum chemistry concepts. Students in upper-level courses achieved better averages than students in lower-level courses. Generally, students showed better understanding of the topics through a representational rather than a conceptual approach. The number of students able to conceive a mental model of the atom based on quantum concepts increased by the end of the semester. However, the number of students who imagined the atom according to the Bohr model, invoking both classical and quantum ideas, remained the same, suggesting no meaningful learning occurred.